Four Loyola Law School alumni are poised to play pivotal roles in the impending litigation involving economic-loss, personal-injury and wrongful-death claims from reported instances of unintended acceleration in certain Toyota cars. On the defense side, Toyota recently hired Tom Nolan ’75 to serve as lead counsel in economic-loss cases. Arguing on behalf of the consumers will be three alumni: Tom Girardi ’64, Tony Rackauckas ’71 and Mark P. Robinson, Jr. ’71. Nolan, of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, will help navigate the economic-loss cases in federal and state court. He represented MGA Entertainment in its high-profile litigation with Mattel over copyright infringement in the Bratz line of dolls. MGA was ultimately awarded $309 million in damages and fees. Nolan’s economic-loss case in front of Los Angele County Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mohr is set to begin in September 2012. Loyola’s Civil Justice Program honored Nolan as a Champion of Justice in 2007.

See source @:

http://llsblog.lls.edu/students/guest/2012/01/four-loyola-alumni-leading-liti…

Wayne Gretsky, please see @:

http://tinyurl.com/ct93yt7

The pace of drama from Morrison & Foerster surrounding events at the CPUC, State Bar of California, and sham entity CaliforniaALL is quickening.

The Leslie Brodie Report has learned that partners Lori Schechter and Dian Grueneich are no longer with the firm.

Please continue @:

http://tinyurl.com/car5htm

The Leslie Brodie Report (TLR) is carefully following a major developing story out of California relating to Eric George of Los Angeles-based Browne George Ross.

A lengthy and expensive accounting in the battle over royalties on Winnie The Pooh revenues may be tainted, according to sources familiar with the case and court records.

In one development, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige called famed attorney Daniel J. Petrocelli into his chambers after a lengthy accounting hearing last summer and told the lawyer he did not want the Gursey, Schneider & Co. forensic accounting firm to be used in future litigation before him.

The firm was the court-appointed forensic accountant in a dispute over hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties that has been proceeding under seal for more than a decade. Disney has been fined $90,0000 and sanctioned by Judge Hiroshige for destroying at least 40 volumes of records that were sought by the plaintiffs.

In an another development, the American Reporter has learned that Arthur Andersen senior partner Christopher Paskach is named as the author of a memo on the Disney royalty audit in papers filed by Disney with the court. Paskach did not return numerous calls for comment. Andersen is currently charged with approving the destruction of key documents that might have explained the sudden collapse of the $83 billion Enron energy trading firm last year.

The controversial, long-running, long-secret case — the oldest active case in the Los Angeles County court dockets — pits the Walt Disney Co. against Stephen Slesinger, Inc., a small Tampa, Fla., firm that granted commercial rights to the beloved and best-selling Winnie The Pooh characters to Disney in 1961.

In a widely-reported talk to investors that signaled a sea change for the accounting industry, Disney chairman Michael Eisner announced about a month ago that outside auditors would no longer be used as consultants on technology and other issues. But while Eisner referred to other accounting relationships, he made no mention of Arthur Andersen & Co.’s apparent role in more than a dozen hearings before Judge Hiroshige, after which Disney admitted destroying documents it had been ordered to preserve.

A decision is reportedly near in the audit facet of the case, involving some $35 million in Pooh merchandise that was sold in Disney theme parks, Disney stores and elsewhere for which the right to royalties was not in dispute. A trial on remaining issues — mostly on royalties for rights that the plaintiffs claim to own and Disney says it owns — is likely to involve hundreds of millions of dollars, and could result in Disney’s loss of the lucrative rights. The trial is expected to begin later this year.

Because it it admitted to destroying documents after a court order to preserve them, Disney will be prohibited from arguing to a jury that its executives did not promise to pay royalties on videocassettes and computer software to the Slesinger firm. Disney claims in court papers that videocassettes are motion pictures, for which it was not required to pay the Slesingers.

There may have been at least the appearance of a conflict of interest in the accounting reference, as that part of the case is called, although it is not clear whether that was the cause of Judge Hiroshige’s alleged ire.

The issue is extremely sensitive, and sources on both sides of the matter reacted with anger when apprised of this story. Confronted with evidence that Arthur Andersen & Co. was involved in the audit, Petrocelli initially said that story was “false,” and confronted with this story, a Slesinger family spokesperson angrily demanded its retraction. However, the issue has been simmering beneath the surface of the case in closed hearings for some time.

John Costello, the Pooh court-appointed accounting referee who was formerly at Ernst & Young, a rival accounting firm, allegedly introduced Paul Donovan — Disney’s attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, which represented the studio in the matter for almost 10 years — to the Gursey, Schneider accountants who handled Donovan’s divorce, sources familiar with the matter say.

They also say the “irrepressible” Donovan was vigorous in supporting the Gursey, Schenider appointment by Judge Hiroshige. The discovery referee in the case, former California Supreme Court Associate Justice David Eagleson, suggested in court documents that it could cost the parties some $500,000, most of it payable to Gursey, Schneider. An earlier accounting in the case cost just $5,100, Disney attorney Janet Dhillon said in court papers.

As head of West Coast litigation for Skadden, Arps, the lawyer would likely prove a lucrative client to an accounting firm charged with determining the division of community property under California’s restrictive laws. There is frequently a finder’s fee for such introductions, accounting professionals say, although no record of such a payment has surfaced in the Donovan divorce. That fee can range from as little as one percent in some matters to half of the firm’s revenues from a case in others.

Now, Disney is asking the court to keep records of Donovan’s divorce sealed, according to papers filed as part of the studio’s effort to keep portions of the case under seal after March 1. It is unclear from the heavily redacted record made available to the press why that unusual step was taken. Donovan has not responded to numerous requests for comment.

In a reply brief filed Feb. 21, Disney attorney Carla Christofferson writes, “Disney also seeks to keep sealed private financial information related to the divorce proceedings of former counsel — a proceeding irrelevant and unrelated to this case. … [D]isclosure of this information to the public cannot be said to further the policy considerations underlying the public’s right of access.”

Sources say Costello “brought the Pooh case with him” when he left Ernst & Young, the original forensic accountants, and came to Gursey, Schneider. Disney attorneys led by Donovan urged Hiroshige to appoint Gursey, Schneider, and Costello as the new accounting referee in the case, and the judge did so. But it is unknown whether Judge Hiroshige’s alleged comments to Petrocelli about Gursey, Schneider were based on any perceived conflict of interest.

Costello, apparently relaying Disney’s stance on the issue, would not permit a Slesinger accountant to sit in on the special accounting audit, according to testimony last summer. The Florida firm made a major issue of its exclusion when Judge Hiroshige held a four-day hearing to resolve royalty accounting issues on undisputed product categories last August. Six months later, he still has not ruled on that matter.

At the end of the accounting hearing, Gursey, Schneider accountants found few discrepancies in Disney’s royalty payments to Slesinger. Both parties sought to have the accounting set aside and to conduct a new one.

That was attributed by the plaintiffs to the destruction of documents in the case. Donovan and Skadden, Arps were forced to drop the studio as a client when Slesinger’s attorneys moved to call them as witnesses in the document drestruction.

Disney lawyers said at a 2000 hearing on the destruction that Donovan “is irrepressible, maybe,” but would never deliberately order the destruction of documents sought by opponents in any litigation.

Meanwhile, the California Supreme Court is expected to rule on Disney’s appeal of the sanctions on Feb. 28, according to officials. California’s Second Appellate District rejected the studio’s petition for a writ to suspend the sanctions in December. Its jurisdiction in the matter ends on March 7.

Source:

http://www.monitor.net/monitor/0203a/pooh4.html

Pat Fong Kushida has changed her mind and decided she won’t become president and chief executive of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, according to the Sacramento Business Journals.

Ms. Pat Fong Kushida CEO of Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (Image:courtesy photo)

Kushida, a longtime acquaintance of Ruthe Catolico Ashley and California Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye,  was one of two noted board members (alongside James Hsu) who were with sham entity CaliforniaALL from its inception, until it was abruptly dissolved.  Both Kushida and the Sacramento Metro Chamber delivered the shocking announcement recently.

As was previously reported on The Leslie Brodie Report, Kushida, along with State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore, are both members of the California Utilities Diversity Council.

State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of GEM Communications. Both Moore and her mentor — Kamala Harris former paramour Willie Brown — were the target of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Bribery and Special Interest (BRISPEC) sting operation known as Shrimpscam. On the right is Willie Brown’s “Mentee” Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Previously of Morrison & Foerster. Presently Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. West’s sister-in-law — Willie Brown’s former paramour — is California attorney general who was also part of CaliforniaALL. As previously reported, Morrison & Foerster partners Voice of OC’s James Brosnahan (who represented El Paso Corp during California Energy Crisis), Susan Mac Cormac, Raj Chatterjee, as well as former partners Tony West, Annette Carnegie, Lori Schechter and Dian Grueneich are all under extreme scrutiny in connection with the unsettling events surrounding CaliforniaALL in connection with former CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown of California Bar Foundation, State Bar of California Executive Director – Voice of OC’s Joe Dunn – who investigated the California Energy Crisis, Voice of OC’s Martha Escutia who also investigated the California Energy Crisis, and Voice of OC’s Thomas Girardi / Pierce O’Donnell who litigated matters relating to the California Energy Crisis opposing James Brosnahan  (Image: courtesy photos)

CaliforniaALL, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable entity, came about as a result of a San Francisco restaurant meeting between Ruthe Ashley (a Diversity Officer at CalPERS and Vice President of the State Bar of California) and Peter Arth, Jr., Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey. Also present at that meeting was Professor Sarah E. Redfield.

Redfield was appointed interim CEO of CalifrnoaALL, and after a simulated “nationwide search”, Ashley was appointed as CaliforniaALL permanent CEO. She abruptly quit in the same month and year when State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn launched his online publication Voice of OC with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese, and James Broshanahn of Morrison & Foerster.

Donations to CaliforniaALL came primarily from utility companies (including AT&T, Sempra Energy, and PG&E). In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million, including an unlawful and unusually large sub rosa contribution of $780,000 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) in 2008.

CaliforniaALL was abruptly dissolved in July 2010.

Documents recently obtained from the Santa Ana Unified School District provide fresh circumstantial evidence that while University of New Hampshire School of Law professor Sarah E. Redfield was employed at  McGeorge School of Law, she had conspired with Ruthe Ashley and others to create a charitable entity (CaliforniaALL) that would later serve as a vehicle to misappropriate and/or launder close to $800,000 from the Foundation of the State Bar of California.

Mr. Geoffrey Brown, professor of law at JFK School of Law. Between 2001 to 2007 served as Commissioner with the CPUC. From 2006 to 2009 Brown serve as director with the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA “California Bar Foundation”). In 2008, California Bar Foundation quietly transferred $769,247.00 to sham entity CaliforniaALL — which also obtained additional 1.5 Million from utility companies.  In reaction to complainant’s request for an inquiry to the State Bar of California Board of Governors, Brown immediately, as though bitten by a snake, threatened to file legal action even though the communication with the BOG was absolutely privileged and justified, and only made mention of Brown in passing.  Brown is still under extreme scrutiny in matters relating Judy Johnson’s CCPF and the saga known as “Bribing Pat.” (image:courtesy photo)

According to Redfield, between 2008 and 2009 she had  “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception as even documents obtained from  the Santa Ana Unified School District make no mention of  Sarah Redfield in connection with the Saturday Academy of Law at UC Irvine.

Between 2004 and 2008, Professor Redfield served as a “visiting” professor at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. From 2008-2009, she served as interim Executive Director of CaliforniaALL, as well as program director.

Professor Redfield was paid $157,763 for her services, while she was misclassified as an “independent contractor.” See http://tinyurl.com/Portia-Balthazar

Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.

Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.

Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.

For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.

In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.

Please double-click on the photo for full view.

In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)

Additionally, claims by Sarah E. Redfield to the effect that she was part of both the CURRICULUM COMMITTEE and OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE are also false, fraudulent, and were otherwise spun from whole cloth.

While Professor Redfield was part of the Oversight Committee, she was not part of the Curriculum Committee. In fact, the sources maintain that close examination of SAL Curriculum shows that it was similar to the curriculum in the years before CaliforniaALL was even established, with emphasis on exceptions to the First Amendment such as time, place, and manner.

See below, misleading claims by Professor Sarah E. Redfield, which falsely mention Curriculum Committee :

The fact that some individuals and entities involved in the creation of CaliforniaALL and the subsequent transfer of $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL were also involved in assisting Joe Dunn with the creation of “Voice of OC” has caused complainant (YR) to postulate that “Voice of OC” may have been a recipient, at least in part, of the  $780,000 obtained unlawfully from the Foundation of the State Bar of California — to wit:  on one hand Morrison & Foerster’s Susan Mac Cormac as legal counsel for CaliforniaALL and Morrison & Foertser Annette Carnegie and Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller in their capacity as BOD members of California Bar Foundation; on the other hand are Morrison & Foerster’s James Brosnahan and Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi helping Joe Dunn with the establishment of Voice of OC.

Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress — Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)

YR’s belief that this is the case is heightened given the proximity in time of various events:  Ruthe Ashley left CaliforniaALL in the same month Joe Dunn launched “Voice of OC” (as though her mission had been completed). Moreover, the recent abrupt departure of Thomas Girardi and James Brosnahan from ‘Voice of OC” ( as though they were fleeing the scene with guilty consciences),  the refusal of Voice of OC to disclose IRS Forms 990,  the refusal of SAL-UCI to disclose the amount it received from CaliforniaALL, the simulated RFP, and CaliforniaALL’s pre-selection of the UCI Foundation as a recipient of funds (where Joe Dunn serves as Trustee) only reinforce this belief.  This is heightened by Mr. Thomas Girardi’s lack of credibility (pursuant to findings made by a panel of federal judges in the matter of In Re Girardi), and the well-documented friendship he shares with Joe Dunn.

Erika Jayne will be performing on Fri, May 25th, the first day of the Matinee Las Vegas Festival 2012.

For tickets, please visit:

http://www.ourstage.com/profile/erikajayne/calendar/623963-matinee-las-vegas-…

Addendum to TransPacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust Litigation (TLR Note:1 Notice Regulars – Skadden, Girardi, O’Donnell 2- Did O’Donnell Inform Courts of 120 Days Suspension 2/11-6/11? 3 – Good Use of Alec Chang, Howard Miller, Nancy Fineman)

Please see @:

http://www.skadden.com/index.cfm?contentID=45&bioID=1127

AND @:

http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/pierce-odonnell-in-re-transpacific-passenger

Addendum #2 to TransPacific Antitrust Litigation (TLR Note: Notice Murray & Howard — In Collision with and Part of  CCPF’s Judy Johnson – Executive Director of State Bar of California — Motives Behind Nancy Fineman 1985.3 Conspiracy with Alec Chang Re Frivolous Complaint to Yolo DA Re False & Malicious Ethics Complaints)

Please see @:

http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/pierce-odonnell-in-re-transpacific-pass

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom’s Gary MacDonald, Thomas Nolan, and Raoul Kennedy Hereby Asked to Admit or Deny Existence of Unlawful Collision with Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi to Fix Cases:

Admit Skadden Arps defended the matter of Winnie the Pooh.

Admit Skadden Arps defended the matter of Fogel vs. Farmers Group.

Admit Skadden Arps defended the matter of In re TransPacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust Litigation.

Admit Skadden Arps defended MGA Entertainment (Bratz Dolls) in litigation against Mattel.

ADMIT SKADDEN ARPS DEFENDED THOMAS GIRARDI OF GIRARDI & KEESE IN THE NINTH CIRCUIT DISPLINARY MATTER OF  IN RE GIRARDI.

ADMIT THOMAS GIRARDI OF GIRARDI & KEESE REPRESENTED THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE  MATTERS OF:
 
1- WINNIE THE POOH
2- FOGEL vs. FARMERS GROUP
3- TRANSPACIFIC PASSENGER AIR TRANSPORTATION ANTITRUST LITIGATION
4- MGA ENTERTINMENT AND ISAAC LARIAN

Admit Skadden Arps’ Alec Chang was/is a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors/ RAD Committee

Admit Skadden Arps, Thomas Nolan, and Alec Chang were part of a conspiracy to obstruct justice in connection with State Bar of California mishandling of the matter of In Re Girardi vis-a-vis the appointment of Girardi’s former defense counsel (Jerome Falk of Howard Rice) as special prosecutor to prosecute (or lack thereof) Thomas Girardi susbsequent to findings of grave misconduct by the Ninth Circuit.

In fact, admit Skadden Arps rushed to defend Thomas Girardi in the matter of In Re Girardi in  hope that Thomas Girardi will “fix” the above cases, as well as future cases.

See original story @:

http://tinyurl.com/78e9cf5

Addendum #1:

Admit Skadden Arps represents Toyota in the matter of In Re Toyota Unintended Acceleratio.

Admit Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese represents the plaintiffs in the matter of In Re Toyota Unintended Acceleration.

(L-R) Messrs. Gary MacDonald, Raoul Kennedy and  “Champion of Justice” Thomas Nolan (AKA Wayne Gretsky) of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.  As was stated by California Senate President “very little bar discipline reaches the big firms.” (Image:courtesy photos)

Consistent with The Leslie Brodie Report’s commitment to integrity and adherence to the highest level of ethical journalism, and in order to report on both sides of the story, Messrs. Gary MacDonald, Raoul Kennedy, and  Thomas Nolan of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP were publicly asked  to admit, deny, or otherwise comment on what appear to be a collusive arrangement with class action plaintiffs’ lawyer Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese.

More specifically, Messrs. MacDonald, Kennedy, and Nolan of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP were asked to admit or deny  the following:

–  Admit that Skadden Arps defended the matter of Winnie the Pooh.

–  Admit that Skadden Arps defended the matter of Fogel vs. Farmers Group.

–  Admit that Skadden Arps defended the matter of In re TransPacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust Litigation.

–  Admit that Skadden Arps defended MGA Entertainment (Bratz Dolls) in the litigation against Mattel.

–  Admit that  Skadden Arps represents Toyota in the matter of In Re Toyota Unintended Acceleration litigation.

Skadden Arps Clients: Toyota Motor North America – Toyota Unintended Acceleration Litigation ;  Walt Disney Company – Winnie the Pooh Litigation;  Farmers Group, Inc. – Fogel v. Farmers Litigation; Thomas Girardi and Girardi & Keese – Ninth Circuit Misconduct Proceedings of Walter Lack and Thomas Girardi Known as ” In Re Girardi” ; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines-TransPacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust Litigation; Mattel v. MGA – Barbie/Bratz Dolls Litigation (Image: courtesy photos)

On July 14, 2010, the day after the Ninth Circuit issued the published decision, Skadden Arps and Thomas Nolan (on their behalf as well as on behalf of its clients, Girardi & Keese and Thomas Girardi) moved to redact their names from the decision. The court rejected the request, noting that redaction was not merited.

Skadden Arps and its clients were in a rush to remove their names from the Ninth Circuit’s published decision in hopes of further hiding from the public  the existence of its relationship with Girardi & Keese, see above.  Below is yet another sample of a  letter/objection alluding to the improper relationhip between Skadden Arps and Girardi & Keese.

In Addition, Messrs. MacDonald, Kennedy, and Nolan of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP were also asked to admit or deny  the following:

–  Admit that Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese represents the plaintiffs in the matter of Winnie the Pooh.

–  Admit that Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese represents the plaintiffs in the matter of of Fogel vs. Farmers Group.

–  Admit that Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese represents the plaintiffs in the matter ofof In re TransPacific Antitrust Litigation.

–  Admit that Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese represents Issac Larian – MGA  in the matter of MGA v. Mattel.

–  Admit that Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese represents the plaintiffs in the Toyota Unintended Acceleration litigation.

Moreover, Messrs. MacDonald, Kennedy, and Nolan of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP were also asked to admit or deny that Skadden Arps’ partner Alec Chang was positioned as a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors/RAD Committee (the entity that supervises and disciplines lawyers in California) as part of a conspiracy to obstruct justice, particularly in connection with the California State Bar’s mishandling of the matter of In Re Thomas Girardi — a client of Skadden Arps, as well as frequent opposing counsel in many class actions involving Skadden Arps.

A substantial factor leading to the State Bar of California’s ethical and moral collapse allowing Thomas Girardi, Skadden Arps, and others to operate with impunity was provided courtesy of individuals who fall into two categories: minorities and/or close political allies from the Democratic party. Shown above is Mr. Alec Chang of Skadden Arps. (Photo:Courtesy)

TLR is closely monitoring the situation and will keep readers apprised of comments, admissions, or denials – if any – by Messrs. Gary MacDonald, Raoul Kennedy, and  Thomas Nolan of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP on what appear to be a collusive arrangement with class action plaintiffs’ lawyer Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese, and whether Alec Chang was positioned as a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors/RAD Committee (the entity that suprevises and disciplines lawyers in California) as part of a conspiracy to obstruct justice, particularly in connection with the California State Bar’s mishandling of the matter of In Re Thomas Girardi

Pierce O’Donnell, Tom Girardi, Walter Lack, James Brosnahan, Tony West, and Joe Cotchett Hereby Asked to Disclose”Long Beach – CPUC Connection”  in Matter of Continental Forge v. Sempra Energy

Please see related story @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/04/11/cpuc-vs-el-paso-corp-federal-energy…

Jennifer from Carpinteria, California to The Leslie Brodie Report: Why are you such a hater of Pierce O’Donnell???? He is a loving father and huge benefactor to his communit.

TLR Note / Reply :

As was stated @  http://tinyurl.com/cs4fu76    several days ago  “given O’Donnell’s presumed inability to reply or comment on our reports during his incarceration, coverage of topics involving O’Donnell are suspended and will resume once he is no longer in custody.”

The above notwithstanding, TLR stated several months ago “Despite his faults, O’Donnell is truly a remarkable and decent person.  Hopefully, the Girardi Syndicate will ensure O’Donnell and his family are well cared for during his incarceration.”  See @   http://tinyurl.com/dxtlyhl

Using a law originally enacted to combat the mafia, a Marina Del Rey-based legal scholar recently took the rare step of suing “Bet Tzedek,” a Los Angeles-based Jewish non-profit entity, under the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law (“RICO”).

Also named as part of the alleged racketeering enterprise were banker Alan Rothenberg, David Pasternak, Samuel Sanders, Ronald George, and his son Eric George (who serves as a member of Bet Tzedek’s Board of Directors).

RICO is a federal law that authorizes a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.  RICO focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows for the leaders of a syndicate to be held civilly liable for the crimes that they ordered others to commit or which they assisted in committing.

The lawsuit alleges that various defendants misused Bet Tzedek as vehicle for the purpose of bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and tax-evasion with the intended outcome of siphoning the money into off-shore accounts.  According to sources, the various accounts are located in Switzerland and at the Vatican. 

Specifically, and in connection with some of Bet Tzedek’s alleged racketeering activities, the suit maintains that Sandor Samuel — CEO and President of Bet Tzedek and former Chief Trial Counsel at embattled Countywide Financial Services –  was appointed President and CEO of Bet Tzedek largely due to his working knowledge of how to operate an enterprise which engages in myriad financial crimes. 

The suit also asserts that other individuals engaged in racketeering activities, including David Pasternak –  a Los-Angeles based “receiver,” as well as an officer of both Bet Tzedek and the Chancery Club — who allegedly used Bet Tzedek as forum to meet, collude, and otherwise bribe various judges and lawyers  for the purpose of further appointing Pasternak as “receiver.”

The complaint also contains allegations that Ronald George — former Chief Justice of the State of California — unlawfully transferred  funds from  entities that were under his control (such as the California Administrative Office of the Courts (“AOC”) intended for the CCMS computer system) into various accounts that were specifically maintained in Alan Rothenberg’s bank — 1st Century — a bank which Eric George owns in part.  Said funds, as the suit alleges, were later embezzled.

As part of maintaining the scheme, the suit alleges, AOC employees Ronald Overholt and William Vickery were bestowed with various gifts, trips, kickbacks, bribes, excessive salaries, and the like.  Similarly, and also as part of guarding the scheme, the suit alleges that defendants, at times, resorted to utilizing the services of Tom Layton — a former Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff/Senior State Bar of California investigator –  to “illegally gather detrimental dirt” on various individuals who would oppose and/or object to the existence of said arrangements. 

According to sources, Layton is part of an ongoing “ambulance chasing” scheme that the Girardi Syndicate operates in San Bernardino County vis-a-vis a satellite office located in San Bernardino and managed by Thomas Girardi’s son-in-law, David Lira.   

Additionally, and per the sources, Layton has been previously utilized by the Girardi Syndicate to “assist” Sharon Major Lewis in selecting the names of nominees to be appointed as judges by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and to garner the support of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in endorsing judicial candidate the Girardi Syndicate deemed worthy of such an endorsement.

The suit also alleges that defendant Holly Fujie –  an officer of both Bet Tzedek and the Chancery Club — engaged in various acts of misconduct while assisting Ronald and Eric George to transfer funds from both the California Bar Foundation (where she serves as vice-president) and the State Bar of California (where she served as a member of a committee responsible for distribution of funds) to Bet Tzedek totaling hundreds of thousand of dollars.

Bet Tzedek is based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1974, and  is an affiliated agency of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.  Bet Tzedek is the exclusive provider of free legal services to low-income seniors through contracts with the City and County of Los Angeles.

Morrison & Foerster is advising Boyd on the transaction with a team that includes corporate partner Brandon Parris, financial transactions partner Kathryn Johnstone, tax partners Stephen Feldman and Remmelt Reigersman, executive compensation partner Michael Frank, employment partner Eric Akira Tate, real estate partner Peter Aitelli, technology transactions partner Paul Jahn and antitrust partner Jeff Jaeckel. The firm previously represented the company on its unsuccessful bid for assets owned by the bankrupt Las Vegas–based Station Casinos.

Brian Larson serves as general counsel for Boyd, which also owns half of the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City. The company’s executive chairman, William Boyd, is a lawyer who cofounded the company in 1974 with his father. Thomas Girardi, a founding partner of Los Angeles–based Girardi & Keese, serves on the Boyd board.

Please continue @:

http://www.americanlawyer.com/PubArticleTAL.jsp?id=1202554367344

The San Diego Union – Tribune – Jul 26, 2003

“She will step into the role that David Rosenberg has played as the governor’s point … at least one Rosenberg ally, prominent tribal attorney Howard Dickstein. “

Addendum to Howard Dickstein / Dave Rosenberg  Ties In Re Seeking to Crucify Rabbi of Yolo County Who Exposed Corruption Re: Fogel vs. Farmers, Ninth Circuit’s In Re Girardi, Jeannine English, CaliforniaALL, Joe Dunn, Voice of OC, CCPF, UC Davis’s Sarah Granda)

Articles Re Yoloan Rabbi (“YR”)  exposing corruption:

Jeannine English,spouse of Howard Dickstein, who serves as “public member” of State Bar of California Board of Governors primarily to ensure that Howard Dickstein will not be disciplined by the agency, please see @

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/07/12/state-bar-of-california-board-of-go…

AND

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/06/14/state-bar-of-california-board-of-go…

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State Bar of California mishandling of Ninth Circuit disciplinary matter of In Re Girardi, please see@:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/03/29/arnold-porter-s-douglas-winthrop-in…

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Fogel vs. Farmers Group, Inc, please see @

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/04/05/ethics-complaint-filed-with-califor…

AND @

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/11/08/fogel-vs-farmers-group-settlement-i…

AND @

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/10/25/austin-texas-based-joe-longley-info…

AND @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/08/17/objection-to-class-action-settlemen…

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State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn of  Voice of OC, CaliforniaALL, Geoffrey Brown,  in the myusterious trtansfer of 780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation, please see @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/11/23/voice-of-oc-orange-county-s-nonprof…

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CCPF, Judy Johnson and Geoffrey Brown, please see @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/01/02/california-consumer-protection-foun…

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UC davis law student Sarah Granda, please see @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/06/01/californiaall-part-13-c-ethics-comp…

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Summary, please see @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/03/06/in-letter-to-ninth-circuit-judges-c…